At this year’s Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan, the city was simply shimmering. From the bright sun that never failed to deliver a 70-degree day to the slew of Baccarat chandeliers dripping in crystal to the undulating glass roof at the fairgrounds that slung light beams around like a meteor shower. So what better moment for Austrian brand Swarovski to unveil a new home accessories line in its signature cut glass? For an inaugural collection that ranged from colored crystalline trays to an architectural chess set, Swarovski tapped design stars including Daniel Libeskind, Ron Arad, and the late Zaha Hadid to work with its famous material. Presented in the neoclassical Palazzo Cagnola amid an abundance of mirrors, the collection certainly contributed its fair share to the city’s collective sparkle.
American architect Daniel Libeskind designed a concrete-and-marble chess set with pieces inspired by his most iconic buildings, including his original design for the World Trade Center in New York. The board is illustrated with maps of Milan and New York—the two cities where he lives and works.
Dutch designer Aldo Bakker, known for his work as a silversmith, created an architectural marble-and-crystal bud vase in several sizes.
Norwegian-born, London-based Kim Thomé incorporated color into his designs—a series of four crystal-and-stainless-steel candle holders.
Tel Aviv–born Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay of Raw Edges—now based in London—used a new laser-jet crystal printing technique to create pattern on a faceted crystal bowls.
London-based industrial designer Ron Arad came up with a new font, and rendered numbers zero through nine and all 26 letters of the alphabet in faceted, precision-cut crystal.
Spanish designer Tomás Alonso’s prismlike crystal-and-marble trays create optical illusions, depending on your vantage point.
Dutch designer Tord Boontje devised a series of objects for home entertaining, from nut bowls to wine coolers, covered in a smattering of crystals that resembles constellations.
